Drew Dixon
The U.S. Navy Blue Angels jet acrobatic team streaked through a cloudless sky over Jacksonville Friday morning to the delight of thousands of onlookers.
The flyover is part of “Operation America Strong,” which is a salute to first responders and medical professionals on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. The Navy pilots in their FA-18 Hornets have already soared over other cities such as Washington, New Orleans, Houston and Dallas.
While Jacksonville was the first designated city about 11:40 a.m. for the flyover in Florida Friday, the Blue Angels were on a tight schedule as they headed to South Florida for a similar tribute that started at 1 p.m.
The flyover in Northeast Florida began along the Atlantic coast with a flight pattern that started near Mayport Naval Station and then headed south through Duval County beaches communities. Then the squadron went into St. Johns County and the Ponte Vedra Beach area before heading west.
In downtown Jacksonville, the Blue Angels deployed white smoke from their jet engines and flew in a large circle around the city’s core before heading into the outer lying areas of the city and flying south.
Catherine Currier watched from a downtown park in Jacksonville. The Blue Angels flyover was a pleasant change of pace during the uncertain times of the COVID-19 pandemic, she said.
“I’m a Navy brat, and you don’t have Blue Angels flying over your city every day. So, why not go out and see?” Currier said.
She added that anything that provides some sort of uplifting nod to a troubled country can’t really hurt, especially in a military town like Jacksonville, which has two Navy bases.
“I think for the collective country, especially for people with military roots,” Currier said. “I think it generates some patriotism.”
Asandro Ramirez also watched the Blue Angels in downtown Jacksonville and said the sight of the stunt team with their smoke trails was comforting.
“It makes you think everything’s OK. It’s going to be fine,” Ramirez said. “People feel better, and people feel good. It’s all right.”
The South Florida flight pattern had the Blue Angels flying from Boca Raton in Palm Beach County south to Miami in Dade County along the coast and then pivoting north for the remainder of the flight through inland areas.
